Envelope



Nov. 6, 1962 R. F. RABENOLD ENVELOPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1960 FIG. I '25 4- SNAP APARTH\ @A mm FIG. 3

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. I0 7 E JOHN JONE? I095 noun an n i rerur-n +hi s invoice%23/ g g wifh remlfiance JOHN JONES; BEST CO. 34 7ELM ST. 1 IOA ST. NILES, cAL.i AVON, emf- DE n I095 f n no nun Nov. 6, 1962 keep This srub Filed July 19, 1960 OUTSIDE SURFACE/ 44 INI Z'NTOR DAY/noun E :QABENOLD QM an ATTORNEY FIG. 8

man n no lulu- BEST co IOA s'r. AVON, CAL.

llfln [IIJI] DI] fl Nov. 6, 1962 R. F. RABENOLD ENVELOPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 19, 1960 lllvliill INTENZ'OR :QAYMOND E DABENOLD ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,052,431 Patented Nov. 6, 1982 3,362,431 ENVELOPE Raymend F. Rahenold, Norwallr, Calif assignor to Tidewater Oil Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 19, 196i), Ser. No. 43,769 6 Claims. (Cl. 22973) This invention relates to improvements in envelopes. More particularly, it relates to an improved billing envelope for sending a machine-processed statement to a customer and also providing him with a return envelope that will accommodate a return portion of the statement as well as his remittance.

Many companies now provide a return self-addressed envelope inside their billing envelope, but the use of two separate envelopes is expensive and adds significantly to the cost of handling and of storage. An important object of the present invention is to provide a single envelope performing all the functions of the pair of envelopes heretofore used and doing so at less aggregate cost of materials, less handling cost, and less storage cost.

There have been attempts in the prior art to solve the general problem arising from the use of envelopes in pairs, and some dual-use single envelopes have been proposed. However, most of the products of these prior attempts have either involved production problems in making the envelope, have been confusing to the customer, have been as expensive as the pair of envelopes intended to be replaced, have been unsuited to the use of punch-card machine-processed statements, or have been too much trouble for the customer to bother with. Consequently, another object of the present invention is to provide a re-usable envelope that is practical to manufacture and use, is low in cost, and is simple and easily used by the customer.

An important feature of the envelope of this invention is that it is snapped open by the customer, in a manner like that in which some manifold forms are snapped apart. When snapped open, the envelope not only exposes its contents but also is at that moment prepared for use by the customer in returning his remittance. The canceled stamp or meter printing and the postmark are eliminated, being torn off with the portion that is to be discarded, and the size of the envelope is reduced to exactly the right size for return of the punched portion of the statement that is to be returned to the billing company with the customers remittance. Moreover, the new envelope formed by snapping open the original envelope looks like what it is, so that a customer needs only minimum instructions in .how to use it. The idea has customer-appeal, for people like this new envelope that is so much more easily opened than conventional envelopes and is as easily used. They like its apparent economy of materials, too. Therefore, customers tend to prefer and to enjoy this new envelope, so that some measure of good will is built up for the company that sends it to them.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of some preferred embodiments.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front of an envelope embodying the principles 'of the invention, shown as mailed from the company and as received by the customer.

F6. 2 is a similar view of the rear of the envelope of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1 showing the envelope being snapped open by the customer.

FIG. 4 is a plan view on .a smaller scale of one side of a blank from which the envelope of FIGS. 1-3 is made.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of the other side of the blank of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view on the scale of FIG. 1 of the front of the statement that is enclosed as the envelope of FIGS. 13 when it is sent to the customer.

FIG. 7 is a similar view of the other side of the statement, the statement being shown severed into two parts, one to be sent back with the remittance.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the front of the return envelope that is formed when the envelope of FIG. 1 is snapped apart, as in FIG. 3, the return envelope being shown empty and before closure.

FIG. 9 is a similar view of the back of the return envelope of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the front of the return envelope, stuffed and closed, as it is sent through the mail from the customer.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the front of a modified form of envelope also embodying the principles of the invention, shown empty and before closure.

FIG. 12 is a similar view of the rear of the envelope of FIG. 11.

.two portions by a line 22 of perforations on front and a line 23 of perforations on back, so that by grasping each end 24, 25 tightly and pulling the end apart smartly, as in FIG. 3, the envelope 20 can be snapped open, disclosing its contents, which include a billing statement 26. A legend, such as Hold the ends and snap-apart may be printed on the envelope 20, if desired, preferably on the portion 27 to the right of the perforations 22, 23 that is to be discarded.

When the statement 26 (or any other contents) is removed, it becomes quite plain that the left-hand portion of the severed envelope 20 is a return envelope 30 that is all ready for use, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Moreover, the statement 26 itself (FIG. 6) is preferably one of the machine-processed card type that has punched holes 31 for use with the accounting machines and is also provided with a line 32 of perforations, so that it can be divided (FIG. 7) into a customers stub 33 and an already return-addressed .return stub 34. Preferably, the return stub 34 has the return address 35 on both sides and centered, so that no matter how the return stub 34 is put into the return envelope 30 with its centered window 21, the address will show, so long as the customer puts his check in back of the stub 34. The customer then moistens a gummed flap 36 that was formed when the envelope 20 was snapped open, seals the envelope 30, stamps it and mails it.

The envelope 20 may be made'from a blank 40 like that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, having the window 21 protected, if desired, by a small sheet of transparent paper 41. The front sides of end flaps 42 and 43 are glued to the inside of an envelope back 44 upon assembly in a normal manner, but glue is also applied to aportion 45 of the inside of the front 46 of the envelope so that upon assembly, the envelope 20 has the right end portion 25 ready to act as a pull tab, with front, back, and end portions in this area all glued together. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this means that the envelope 20 is longer than the original statement 26 by at least the amount of this pull tab portion 25. This construction obviates such difliculties as tearing the statement 26 in two when snapping open the envelope 20.

The perforations are easily formed on the blank 40, the back line 23 being in line with a perforated line 23 on an original-use sealing flap 47. The offset front line 22 is shaped to provide the return-use sealing flap 36 and may be gummed on the inside at the same time as the flap 47. Preferably, a small area 48 is left free from glue on the flap 47 at each side of the perforations 23.

Fold lines on the blank 40 are as follows: a line 50 for the end flap 42, a line 51 for the end fiap 43, a line 52 dividing the front 46 from the back 44, and a line 53 for the original-use sealing flap 47.

In assembly, the end flaps 42 and 43 are folded in after the glue for the area 45 is applied and in ready condition; then the back 44 is folded over and glued to the end flaps 42 and 43 and to the area 45, to which the end flap 43 is also glued providing the pull-tab portion 25. In this state, the envelopes 20 may be stored. When the statements 26 have been made and processed, they are stuffed into the envelopes 20 and the fiap 47 is sealed, as in normal use, and a stamp or meter mark applied.

As stated earlier, the customer snaps. open the envelope (FIG. 3) by pulling apart its ends 24 and 25, the pull-tab 25 protecting the contents from damage when the lines 23, 23 and 22 of perforations are severed. The statement 26 is then removed, is torn apart along its severance line 32, and the return stub 34 is put into the return enveope 30 along with the payment. The flap 36 is moistened and sealed, the envelope 30 stamped, and the transaction is completed.

Of course, the preceding descriptions and the drawings are only exemplary of an embodiment of the invention, and many changes can be made while remaining within the scope of the invention. This fact is illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13, by a somewhat different envelope 60, also embodying the principles of the invention. So far as the customer is concerned, the envelope 60 is functionally the same as the envelope 20, but it is assembled differently, from a different blank 61.

The blank 61 has fold lines 62, 63, 64, and 65, to provide a left end flap 66, a right end flap 67, a lower back flap 68, and an upper back flap 69. Lines 70, 71, and 72 of perforations are provided. On assembly glue is applied to an area 73 near the right end flap 67, and also to the flap 67, if desired, and the flap 67 is folded over. Glue is also applied to the lower back flap 68. Next the upper back flap 69 is folded over, and then the lower back flap 68 is folded over and glued to the upper flap 69. This action provides a pull top tab area like the area 25, as before, the back flaps 68 and 69 being glued to the front at the area 73.

The envelope 60 is end-stuffed, the gummed flap 66 not being glued until it is stuffed. So far as the customer is concerned, however, its use is identical to that already described.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. An envelope having front and rear faces and upper, lower, right, and left edges as seen from the front, said front face having a window much nearer to the left edge than to the right edge, a pull tab portion at the right margin for carrying the postage stamp, cancellation and postmark and provided by glued-together inside surfaces and a continuous line of perforations running between the upper and lower edges on both said faces between the window and said pull tab portion, the line on one said face being offset to the right with respect to the line on the other said face to provide a potential flap, and gum on the interior surface of said flap, whereby said envelope can be snapped open to expose the contents, the postage, cancellation, and postmark carried by the right hand portion being removed, while the left hand portion is thereby left as a ready-to-use return envelope of the window type.

2. An envelope having front and rear faces and upper, lower, right, and left edges as seen from the front, said front face having a window, a pull tab portion at the right margin for carrying the postage stamp, cancellation and postmark applied to the envelope, and a continuous line of perforations running between the upper and low-er edges on both said faces between said pull tab and said window, the line on one said face being offset with respect to the line on the other said face to provide a potential flap, and adhesive means on the interior surface of said potential flap, whereby said envelope can be snapped open to expose the contents leaving the left hand portion as a readyto-use return envelope of the window type.

3. An envelope having a window, glued-together inside surfaces at one margin providing a pull tab portion, a continuous line of perforations running on both sides of said envelope between said pull tab portion and said window, said line on one side of said envelope being offset with respect to said line on the other side to provide a potential flap, and gum on the interior surface of said flap, whereby said envelope can be snapped in two to expose the contents, the postage, cancellation, and postmark being on the part removed with the pull-tab portion, while the other part is thereby left as a ready-to-use return envelope of the window type.

4. An envelope having front and rear faces and upper, lower, right, and left edges as seen from the front, said front face having a window centered between the upper and lower edges and much nearer to the left edge than to the right edge, a pull tab portion at the right margin provided by the inside surfaces therebeing glued together, and a continuous line of perforations running between the upper and lower edges on both said faces, the line on the rear face being the same distance from the window as the left edge, the line on the front face being offset to the right to provide a potential flap, and gum on the interior surface of said potential flap, whereby when said envelope is held by the pull tab portion and the left side and pulled smartly, it will be snapped open to expose the contents and the postage, cancellation, and postmark carried by the right hand portion may be discarded, while the left hand portion is thereby left as a ready-to-use return envelope of the window type.

5. A billing unit comprising a statement sheet perforated between its ends to provide a customers stub carrying his address and a return stub carrying the payees address and an envelope enclosing said sheet and having front and rear faces and upper, lower, right, and left edges as seen from the front, said front face having a window much nearer to the left edge than to the right edge, through which the customers address shows, a pull tab portion at the right margin provided by glued-together inside surfaces, and a continuous line of perforations running between the upper and lower edges on both said faces, between said window and said pull tab portion, the line on one face being offset with respect to that on the other face to provide a potential fiap that is interiorly gummed, whereby said envelope can be snapped open to expose the contents and the postage, cancellation, and postmark carried by the right hand portion may be discarded, while the left hand portion is thereby left as a ready-to-use return envelope of the window type, the payees address showing therein when the statement is torn apart and the return stub is properly inserted into the return envelope.

6. A billing unit comprising a statement sheet perforated between its ends to provide a customers stub carrying his address and a return stub carrying the payees address on both sides and centered thereon, and an envelope having front and rear faces and upper, lower, right, and

left edges as seen from the front, said front face having a window centered between the upper and and lower edges and much nearer to the left edge than to the right edge through which said customers address appears when the statement is mailed by the biller, a pull tab portion at the right margin of the envelope provided by the inside surfaces there being glued together, the distance between said pull tab and said left edge being only slightly greater than the length of said original statement, and a continuous line of perforations running between the upper and lower edges on both said faces, the line on the rear face being the same distance from the window as the left edge, and the distance from the line on the rear face being only slightly larger than the length of the return stub, the line on the front face being offset to the right to provide a potential flap that is interiorly gumrned, whereby when said envelope is held by the pull tab portion and the left side and pulled smartly, it will be snapped open to expose the contents and the postage, cancellation, and postmark carried by the right hand portion may be discarded, while the left hand portion is thereby left as a ready-to-use return envelope, the return stub being inserted with the return address showing in the window no matter in what direction it is inserted, since the size of the envelope is reduced commensurately with the reduction in size of the statement sheet when the customers stub is removed. 

